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Pioneers Win Independence League Championship
By BRYANNA WINNER Star-Herald
On a night full of emotions, the Western Nebraska Pioneers hosted game two of the inaugural Independence League championship series against the Spearfish Sasquatch on Saturday. For the first time since 2018, the Pioneers won a title after beating the Sasquatch 3-2 on a walk-off walk by Tyler Mead.
"It feels so good. All of these guys are such great guys and they really brought me in,” Mead said. “I had a blast while I was here and for it to end that way is a blessing and awesome."
Head coach Antonio Garcia, who just finished his final season with the Pioneers, is proud of his team and who they’ve become and how much they’ve grown.
“Lots of emotions right now but the biggest one is I’m just really happy. So proud of these guys that have been here all summer coming from all across the country, guys came together,” Garcia said. “They came in as just baseball players but they are leaving as champions, leaving as brothers, friends for life. It was fun to watch them grow this summer and no better way to be rewarded than with a championship.”
Paul Panduro has been on the Pioneers the last three years and finally winning a championship feels amazing. The best part though, winning this with his teammates who have grinded all summer for this moment.
“It feels amazing taking home the championship after being here three years. The first year not really going that well then last year, we almost had it but this year we got it done and it feels incredible and just a good feeling to do it with the friends because at the end of the day,” Panduro said. “Winning the championship is okay but winning it with your teammates and the guys you grind with all summer is way better.”
The Pioneers saw Mead walk in the second inning before putting himself in scoring position on a steal and with two outs, Antonio Nanez singled to score the first run of the game.
The score stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the eighth when Ryan Callahan singled, Mead walked and a Jason Luke single loaded the bases. Callahan then scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Stevie Hom to get the 2-0 lead.
The top of the ninth saw Spearfish hit a Bailey Bordas 2-run home run to tie the game. In the bottom half of the inning, Eric Smelko started the inning with his only hit of the game, a double to get on base. An intentional walk on Alex Zerfass put runners on first and second but a passed ball moved them over, resulting in the Sasquatch then intentionally walking Declan Wiesner.
“The inning was going great, just didn’t execute how we wanted with no outs but regardless, the guys got the job done and we’re champions so you can’t take that away from any of us,” Garcia said.
A fielder’s choice hit by Callahan saw Smelko out at home and the Pioneers now with two outs and the bases loaded. Mead battled with a full count and was then walked to end the game.
“I was excited. That was potentially the last at-bat I’ll have in my career and honestly, that’s such an awesome opportunity for everybody involved and I was so lucky it got to me and I got to have the winning at-bat,” Mead said.
Zerfass touched home before Mead started heading to first base so the umpire told him he needed to go touch first base and once he did, a dog pile ensued.
“I threw my bat and the umpire was yelling at me that I need to go touch first and all I could think about as I was getting down there, throwing my helmet, was giving a big hug to whoever was there first,” Mead said. “I got kind of crushed under the dog pile but that’s the best weight I’ve ever had.”
The Pioneers out-hit the Sasquatch 7-5 as Luke was the only player with more than one hit, going 2-for-4. Griffin Allen pitched eight innings, giving up two hits, four walks and recorded 10 strikeouts. Ignacio Reynoso pitched the final inning and gave up the two runs, three hits while striking out one.
“Griffin was unbelievable in a bounce back start for him, that was awesome to see but our guys are gritty, our guys grinded, they got down and tied the game up knowing the dugout was aware, we knew what was going to happen,” Garcia said. “It was just an unbelievable job by our guys putting together some quality at-bats and getting the job down when we needed it most.”
Even though Panduro couldn’t play in this game (pitched seven innings in game one on Thursday), he supported his teammates from start to finish.
“Maybe three years ago I would’ve been not mad but ‘put me out there’ but maturing is trusting your guys right next to you and trusting your teammates,” Panduro said. “The whole time, the last three innings, I’m a closer and usually in those situations but tonight I wasn’t, so I watched my teammates do their thing and I’m there to support them the whole time.”
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